This is why it is important to humanize these players with the student body. If there is some connection between the students and the players it will lead to more people going to games to see their friends/peers. It's a completely different animal than football. Make some sort of connection between the students and the players and more students will show up.
They will show up if they are going to watch a "friend" or someone they have talked to. We need to figure out how to make a connection with the students via the players.
I understand if we win and have star players everyone will show up. Thats obvious. However in tougher times I still think we can get guys in the seats if they know players or have some type of relationship/connection with the players.
I can only tell my story and how you would have gotten me into the games. I went to OU and as everyone college student I was a huge partier. I have always loved OU sports but in college football was the only real sport I attended as it was the "fun" thing to do since you could tailgate. After college I have really gotten into basketball because in basketball I can follow recruiting much easier. I believe in basketball 1 high level star can turn a program around. Were in football 1 player cannot do that. So its fun to follow recruiting and see how these guys turn out.
What I am trying to say is maybe the idea is not about getting students in the stands this year, maybe the idea is getting students in the stands next year and the years beyond. Get them excited about incoming recruits. Hype up jordan woodard and all these other guys. Then I believe students will start to research these players like I do, get on forums like these, and see if kids like jordan woodard could turn the program around. If they are doing research then they automatically have an attatchment with the future player.
They will show up if they are going to watch a "friend" or someone they have talked to. We need to figure out how to make a connection with the students via the players.
You can't force a connection. Either the players are likable guys that will make friends with non-athletes through their everyday college interactions, or they aren't/won't.
You can't force a connection. Either the players are likable guys that will make friends with non-athletes through their everyday college interactions, or they aren't/won't.
You can't force a connection. Either the players are likable guys that will make friends with non-athletes through their everyday college interactions, or they aren't/won't.
I dissagree, I remember being at the huffman and playing pick up games with basketball players in their offseason (im sure they werent suppose to be there) and that in itself made me want to follow a certain athelete.
Or how about open pickup games once a month in the offseason at the lloyd noble. Were you mix in with the basketball players. You could have a basketball player on each team be the captain. you could have 4-5 teams or so and basically play pickup ball for a few hours.
UPDATE: Meeting with Coach Kruger and Charlie Taylor (Works in Marketing) went really well, I will post a full update later, but we have come up with some great ideas and hopefully those will lead to great things to come here in the near future...
One Spoiler: Mark your Calendars for October 20th...
UPDATE: Meeting with Coach Kruger and Charlie Taylor (Works in Marketing) went really well, I will post a full update later, but we have come up with some great ideas and hopefully those will lead to great things to come here in the near future...
One Spoiler: Mark your Calendars for October 20th...
another thing could be creating like a tailgating type autmosphere. I dunno if this is even possible but how about do something like thunder alley. Get people around the arena then eventually they will start to buy tickets?
another thing could be creating like a tailgating type autmosphere. I dunno if this is even possible but how about do something like thunder alley. Get people around the arena then eventually they will start to buy tickets?
I think that's the trick, get people to LNC. Some how some way get them there, and the younger the better. Maybe you give out tickets to school groups like they did for the women many years ago. It'll be a lot easier to get students to OU basketball games if they are already OU basketball fans when they get to campus. High School and Junior High, hell even elementary students, will make as much noise and be as enthusiastic as college students. That enthusiasm is contagious and a lot less annoying than some guy running around the arena with a microphone in his hand asking if you want a free t-shirt.